St Albans

St Albans' population expanded in the decade to 2011. At the same time there were changes in religion and housing tenure.

The population passed 140,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of St Albans increased by 9.0%, from just over 129,000 to 141,000.

The addition of almost 12,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, St Albans was home to, on average, 6.2 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older St Albans

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of St Albans increased by one year, from 38 to 39 years.

This affluent suburban area had a slightly lower average age than Eastof England and had a similar age to the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 3,900 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 1,000.

About 16% of people in St Albans are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and St Albans by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with children

This area saw Eastof England's largest rise in the proportion of households with children.

Across the region, Thurrock saw the next largest increase in the proportion of households with children (from 32% in 2001 to 35% in 2011).

During this period, St Albans overtook 15 local authority areas, including Dacorum and Huntingdonshire, to become the Eastof England local authority area with the third-highest percentage of households with children.

In 2011, just over one in three (33%) households in St Albans had at least one dependent child, compared with 31% in 2001. The percentage with no children decreased from 61% to 58%.

The proportion of households with children was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

More single people in St Albans

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership increased in St Albans, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Eastof England.

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 27% to 31%.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (30%) people aged 16 and over in St Albans said they were single, compared with 29% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 56% to 54%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that that said they were single across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Change in work hours

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased in St Albans, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Eastof England.

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 1.9% to 2.9%.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (2.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in St Albans said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.2% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week decreased from 16% to 14%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in St Albans

The number of people in St Albans that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 23,000 in 2001 to just over 36,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 17% to 26% of the local population.

The percentage increased by less than the average across Eastof England (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in St Albans that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 92,000 in 2001 to just under 84,000 in 2011 (from 71% to 60%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from just under 8,500 to just over 10,000 (from 6.6% to 7.4%).

About 5,200 people (2.6%) said they were Muslim, up from just under 3,400 in 2001 (3.7%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in St Albans increased by 8.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and St Albans by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

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